#english_history 

## Prelude
Before the beginning of the [[First World War from Britain's perspective|WWI]] the British government had agreed to home rule for Ireland, though afraid that the Protestants in the north would start a civil war in Ulster. For this reason, when war began in 1914, the government delayed the introduction of home rule, and called on Irishmen to join the army.

There was another group of Irishmen, however, who didn't want to fight for the British. They did not only want home rule, but full independence. At Easter **1916**, these republicans rebelled in Dublin with hopes of persuading other Irishmen to join the republican movement. The "Easter Rising" was quickly put down, and most Irish disapproved of it. But then the British executed all the leaders, which was a serious mistake. The public was shocked.

## War
In the 1918 elections the republicans won in almost every area except Ulster. Instead of joining the British parliament, they met in their own new parliament, the **Dail** in Dublin, and announced that Ireland was now a republic. Irishmen joined the republic's army, and guerrilla fighting against the British began. In **1921** the British decided to make peace. They agreed to the independence of southern Ireland, but insisted that Ulster, or Northern Ireland, should remain united with Britain.

## Civil War
The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 led to civil war between the Irish themselves. By this treaty the new "Irish Free State" accepted continued British use of certain ports, the sovereigny of the British Crown, the loss of Northern Ireland. The pro-Treaty forces won and the republicans defeated. 
But a group of republicans formed a new party, Fianna Fail, which won the election of **1932**, and the new Prime Minister, Eamon de Valera, began to undo the Treaty and in **1937** declared southern Ireland a republic.